Kekoo Nicholson, President of the Cricket Club of India (CCI) passed away on Monday morning at the Global Hospitals. He was 63.
A patron of billiards and snooker, Kekoo took personal interest in the development of the Wilson Jones Billiards Room at the CCI, conduct of tournaments and showed a great interest for other sports.
He was instrumental in bringing overseas professionals like Jimmy White and Stephen Lee to the Club’s high profile tournaments.
Kekoo had also represented CCI at BCCI meetings and had expressed hope that the Club would continue to remain as a full member of the BCCI.
After conferring the Honorary Life Time Membership to S. Kidambi last December, Kekoo told this reporter that he would go with the CCI cricket team to Australia and watch the Ashes Test in Sydney.
Loss to cue sport
Paying tributes to Kekoo, cue sport maestro Geet Sethi said, “Kekoo was a huge lover of all sport, but his first love was billiards and snooker. I knew him since the early 80’s and he was a familiar face in the audience of every national level and international tournament in India.
“Later of course he became a consistent sponsor of billiards and snooker tournaments in India. Sport will miss Kekoo, I certainly will as I had such fond memories with him. RIP Kekoo.”
Brijesh Damani who recently won the CCI open snooker tournament said, “I met him only once, but as far as I know, snooker in Mumbai will never be the same. He was the man to go for every kid in Mumbai for sponsorships, to play tournaments abroad.
“It’s a loss to our entire community and perhaps snooker in India has lost its biggest supporter.”
